Our Heros & Heroines, male and female of all nationalities and ethnic
origins, trodding this earth with the mission to make it a better place.
Fruitful and Prosperous!
Rich in Heritage ~ Wealthy in Royalty ~ Priceless in Spirit
Weyzero Abebech
(Ethiopian Patriot)
Ethiopian Patriot: Weyzero Abebech.

When the fascist of Italy, Mussolini, sent his Italian
men to Ethiopia, the brave daughters of Ethiopia
were there to protect it's dignity.

Weyzero Abebech was the wife of a senior officer in
the Ethiopian army. After seeing her husband on the
front, she decided that she would not simply cry and
pray. Like many daughters of Ethiopia in the past,
she opted to protect Ethiopia.

She actively began the creation of the "Ethiopian
Women's Military Movement" in Addis Abeba and
urged the wives and mothers of soldiers to work to
supply the army, care for the wounded and assistant
the refugees.

Weyzero Abebech was well known internationally.
Newspapers in the United States would write
articles about her and her patriotism. Newspapers
in Texas, Pennsylvania, California and other places
would speak of her bravery.

The famous American military journalist Paula
LeCler, having taken an interview with Weyzero
Abebech, took some pictures of the 'bold Ethiopian
woman' with her horse while dressed in Ethiopian
army uniform, armed with a German self-loading "
Borchardt - Luger " and a gun .

In 1935 she began a speech with a direct message to
the daughters of Ethiopia:

"Sisters, we need to study military science, learn
how to fight with a rifle, a machine gun, a knife, so
we can help our loved ones fight against the cruel
enemy". Protect Ethiopia.
Afewerk Tekle
(Ethiopian artist)
Artwork by Afewerk Tekle
Afewerk Tekle
AFEWORK TEKLE

Afewerk Tekle, born on October 22 1932, was one of Ethiopia's most celebrated artists, particularly
knownfor his paintings on African and Christian themes as well as his stained glass.

Born in Ankober to Feleketch Yamatawork and Tekle Mamo, Afewerk grew up under the Italian
occupation during the Second World War. Following the war, in 1947, Afewerk decided that he
wanted to help rebuild Ethiopia and elected to travel to England to study mining engineering. Before
departing, Afewerk, together with other students leaving to study overseas, was addressed by
Emperor Haile Selassie. Afewerk recalls being told "you must work hard, and when you come back do
not tell us what tall buildings you saw in Europe, or what wide streets they have, but make sure you
return equipped with the skills and the mindset to rebuild Ethiopia".

Afewerk had already shown talent as an artist as a child, decorating several walls in his home town.
Whilst at boarding school in England, this talent was recognised and encouraged by his teachers. As
a result, Afewerk was persuaded to switch from engineering and enroll in Central School of Arts and
Crafts in London. He then went on to the Slade School of Art where he studied painting, sculpture and
architecture.

Returning to Ethiopia as a university graduate, Afewerk could have accepted an assigned ministerial
post, but instead decided to spend time travelling around the provinces of Ethiopia to get more
experience of his native country and culture, which he reflected in his paintings. In 1954 he held his
first one-man show in Addis Ababa, that gave him the funds to travel around Europe for two years
where he learnt how to design and construct stained glass windows. He also made a special study on
Ethiopian illustrated manuscripts in the British Library, the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris and the
Vatican Library.

Back in Ethiopia, Afewerk opened a studio in the National Library of Ethiopia. His growing
recognition lead to government commissions for murals and mosaics in St George's Cathedral, Addis
Ababa, and several of his designs were used on the national stamps. He was also commissioned to
produce sculptures of famous Ethiopians, although only the monumental statue of Ras Makonnen in
Harrar was completed. Most notably, in 1958 he designed the stained glass windows in the Africa
Hall of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa. The three windows cover
an area of 150 square meters, and represent the sorrow of Africa's past, the struggle of the present,
and hope for Africa's future.

In 1961 Afewerk held a major retrospective in Addis Ababa, which led to his painting Maskal Flower
being shown at international exhibitions in Russia, the United States and Senegal. Increasing funds
allowed Afewerk to travel around the continent of Africa. With much of Africa still emerging from
colonialism, Afewerk became fired with black emancipation and the struggles for independence. This
is reflected in his paintings of this time, with titles like Backbones of African Civilization and African
Unity.

In 1964 he became the first laureate of the Haile Selassie I Prize for Fine Arts. As his reputation
spread abroad, Afewerk was invited to put on an exhibition in Moscow following which he toured the
Soviet Union giving lectures. The American government responded with an invitation for one man
exhibitions in Washington and New York and a similar lecture tour of American universities.
Additional international exhibitions followed in Senegal, Turkey, Zaire, the United Arab Republic,
Bulgaria, Munich, Kenya and Algeria.

Through much of the 1970s Afewerk was engaged in producing murals and mosaics for many public
and religious buildings around Ethiopia, including the mutual Last Judgement in the Adigrat
Cathedral in Tigrai. In 1977, his painting Unity Triptych won the gold medal in the Algiers
International Festival.

The early 1980s saw a second major exhibition in Moscow and an exhibition in Bonn. In 1981, his
painting Self-portrait was the first work by an African artist to enter the permanent collection of the
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy.

In 1997 he exhibited at the Biennale of Aquitaine, France, winning first prize in the international
competition. He was also nominated as the Laureate of the Biennale which gave him membership of
the French International Academy of Arts.

Afewerk Tekle had membership of the Russian Academy of Arts, so he became the first African
member in 1983.

Afewerk Tekle died on 10 April 2012 from severe stomach ulcer complications after receiving
treatment at a private hospital in Addis Ababa and was buried at the cemetery of the Holy Trinity
Cathedral at Addis Ababa. The artist's death received wide media coverage in the country, with a
national committee-arranged funeral.


Source: Tsega Tekle Haimanot ~ FB Post 03-15-2018
 
Ahati Kilindi Iyi - Master of African Martial Arts
Dr. Amos Wilson
 
Anna Douglass
What I didn't know about Frederick Douglass: before he married the
white woman who gets all the credit for supporting him and his
work, he was married to Anna Douglass, a Black woman who got
him free (literally) and spent 44 years as his dutiful wife, even and
especially when he didn't deserve it. Say HER name: Anna Murray-
Douglass.

"By the late 1840s Anna lost much of her emotional support system.
Her daughter, Rosetta, was away at school in Albany, New York; and
her friend and household helper, Harriet Bailey, had married and
moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, her husband
toured England, where rumors spread about the attention lavished
on him by the English ladies. After his return in 1847 Douglass
moved the family to Rochester, New York, taking Anna away from
the small but active black community of which she had been a part
in Lynn. Shortly thereafter she suffered the indignity of having the
British reformer Julia Griffiths move into the Douglass home, which
caused a storm of controversy alleging Frederick’s infidelity with
Griffiths. The departure of Griffiths was followed by the arrival of
Ottilie Assing, who installed herself in the Douglass home for
several months out of the year over the next twenty years. For much
of her life Anna lived isolated from supportive African American
companionship while hosting a string of white abolitionists who
could barely conceal their disdain for her. Only the extended stays of
Rosetta and her children and the companionship of Louisa Sprague,
Rosetta’s sister-in-law who lived in the Douglass home as a
housekeeper, relieved Anna’s loneliness. -
See more at:
http://blog.oup.
com/2007/02/black_history_m3/#sthash.Zbok7bPL.dpuf

Source: FB Feb 11, 2018 -Sylvia Harris‎ - Melanin: The Chemical Key of
Royalty aka (The Cotton Fieldz)
 
Anthony Browder
Bonotchi Montgomery
 
Carter G. Woodson
Happy Black History Month!! Do you recognize this great man? If not, you most certainly know of his
contributions to black history. Carter G. Woodson was a noted African American historian, scholar,
educator, and publisher and is recognized as the father of Black History Month. Woodson dedicated
himself to the field of African-American history, working to make sure that the subject was taught in
schools and studied by scholars.⠀

Black History Month began as “Negro History Week,” which Carter founded in 1926. Celebrated the
second week of February, its original goal was to educate kids on the history of blacks in the United
States. Carter worked with schools and teachers to develop programming and literature and lobbied
extensively to have it celebrated nationally. As the popularity of the week developed, Black
educators and the Black United Students at Kent State University proposed Black History Month in
February 1969. The first celebration took place at Kent State in February 1970 and in 1976,
President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month, during the celebration of the United States
Bicentennial, establishing it as a nationwide institution. ⠀

The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and
Abraham Lincoln. Black History month is also observed in the United Kingdom and Canada. It was
first celebrated in the United Kingdom in 1987 and is in October. It was first recognized in Canada in
1995, and in 2008 the Canadian Senate unanimously approved a motion to recognize February as
Black History Month in Canada.⠀

There are both advocates and proponents of Black History Month. Advocates argue that it is a way to
celebrate black culture and help prevent injustice in future generations. However, criticisms of Black
History Month vary from it shouldn’t be limited to just one month, to sentiments that it is not
necessary because black history is already intertwined into the everyday study of history, so it
shouldn’t be separated and given preferential treatment. ⠀
Professor Booker T. Coleman (Kaba Hiawatha Kamene)
Professor Booker T. Coleman is featured in the Documentaries "Hidden Colors 1 & 2".
 
Candace
Candace of 332 BC has a particular story that still should stand tall today. Despite the lack of
knowledge of these Queens this legend made it’s way out.

Her actual name was said to be Amanirenas. She was blind in one eye due to losing it in a battle with
the Romans. She was known to be a fierce, tactical and uniting leader.
Alexander the Greek had reached Kemet (Ancient Egypt) and was gearing up to battle into Ethiopia.
Alexander never fought Candace though and there are a few accounts as to why.

The wildly accepted view one given by Chancellor Williams who wrote ” The Destruction of Black
Civilization” is that upon hearing Alexander the great coming Empress Candace, or Amanirenas,
gathered her black troops, lined them up across the first cataract along with herself and stood on top
of two African Elephants on a throne and waited for Alexander to show up. Alexander the “great”,
didn’t want to chance a loss and give up his undefeated winning streak. He definitely didn’t want to
lose it to a woman so once seeing the black Queen on her Elephants and her black armies along with
her, Alexander the “great” halted his armies at the first cataract, and turned back up into Egypt. Once
he saw the deadly military tactician in all her glory and her black army with the latest iron weapons,
he decided against an invasion and turned around.

Source: FB Feb 11, 2018 Edward Thomas‎Melanin: The Chemical Key of Royalty aka (The Cotton Fieldz)
 
According to a legend in 332 BC, Alexander the Great headed south of Egypt planning to conquer the
kingdoms in the region of Nubia, or Kush. His plans were thwarted, however, by the warrior queen
Candace of Meroe. “She would not let him enter Ethiopia and warned him not to despise them
because they were black for, ‘We are whiter and brighter in our souls than the rest of you.'”Alexander
heeded her advice and headed for Egypt. But this is only a tale; Alexander never ventured into Nubia.

An impressive series of Nubian warrior queens, queen regents, and queen mothers, known as
kentakes (Greek: Candace "Candake"), are only appearing to the light of history through the ongoing
deciphering of the Merotic script. They controlled what is now Ethiopia, Sudan, and parts of Egypt.
One of the earliest references to the kentakes comes from 332 B.C. when Alexander the Great set his
sights on the rich kingdom of Nubia.

She placed her armies and waited on a war elephant for the Macedonian conqueror to appear for
battle. Alexander approached the field from a low ridge, but when he saw the Black Queen's army
displayed in a brilliant military formation before him, he stopped. After studying the array of
warriors waiting with such deadly precision and realizing that to challenge the kentakes could quite
possibly be fatal, he turned his armies away from Nubia toward a successful campaign in Egypt.

There are different accounts of what actually occurred when Candace confronted Alexander.
According to Chancellor Williams, after seeing Candace’s formidable defense of well-trained soldiers
armed with iron weapons, Alexander reconsidered his decision to go into battle because his
opponent’s air of confidence forced him to think about his winning streak. William Leo Hansberry
says that Alexander met semi-privately with Candace. Legend has it that Candace advised Alexander
to leave the region immediately and if he refused, after defeating his army, she would cut off his head
and roll it down a hill. He also weighed the possibility of losing to a woman general against his
reputation.

Source: FB Feb 09, 2018 Melanated People Empowerment
 
Dr. Claud Anderson
 
Dr. David Imhotep
Dr. David Imhotep is the Author of "The First Americans Were Africans: Documented Evidence".
Contrary to popular belief, African people came to the Americas long before Columbus and long
before the Native Americans. In this fantastic visual presentation, Dr. David Imhotep will show
evidence of an African Presence in The Americas over 56,000 years old and much, much more.
 
Dr. Frances Cress
Dr. Frances Cress Welsing is a psychiatrist and is the author of the book, "The Isis Papers: The Keys
To The Colors". She is an expert on what European White Supremacy and Racism are and how they
work. She is also feature in the documentary "Hidden Colors".
 
Dr. George G.M. James
Dr. George G.M. James

Dr. George Granville Monah James (unknown –
1954) was a well-regarded historian and author
from Georgetown, Guyana. He’s best known for his
1954 book “Stolen Legacy,” in which he presented
evidence that Greek philosophy originated in
ancient Egypt. He gained his doctorate degree at
Columbia University in New York, became a
professor of logic and Greek at Livingstone College
in Salisbury, N. C., for two years, and then taught at
the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff.

In “Stolen Legacy,” James painstakingly documents
the African origins of Graco-Roman philosophical
thought. He asserted that “Greek philosophy” was
not created by the Greeks at all, instead it was
borrowed without acknowledgement from the
ancient Egyptians.

James even challenged the foundations of Judaism
and Judeo-Christianity and argued that the statue of
the Egyptian goddess Isis with her child Horus in
her arms is the origin of the Virgin Mary and child.

He mysteriously died, shortly after publishing
Stolen Legacy.

Source: FB Post ~ Afrikans Unite - Retrieved-2018-03-
09
 
 
Grainville T Woods
Thomas Edison (like many other white supremacists of the day) was known for stealing inventions
of Black creators. Grainville T Woods was called “Black Edison” because “White Edison” kept trying
to steal his inventions.
 
 
H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I
Let the hungry be fed, the naked clothed ,the sick be
nourished, aged be protected and the infants cared
for!

Picture from St. Pauls Hospital in Addis Ababa —

Source: Jens Kmp FB Post ~ 14 January 2018
 
Dr. Ishakamusa Barashango
Professor James Small
Dr. John Henrik Clarke
 
Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) was an investigative journalist,
newspaper editor, and suffragist who documented lynching in the
United States. She was one of the founders of the NAACP, and one of
the first to report and write about lynching in the U.S. She traveled
around the country documenting incidents and the causes behind
them. She published a book called "Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in
All Its Phases." It refuted the common rumor that lynch mobs were
responding to black men raping white women and pointed to
economic and other factors as the cause. Her report caused her to be
run out of Memphis, TN but they could not silence her. She
continued her work in Chicago, publishing another book, a
statistical report on lynching. She also spoke to audiences in the U.S
and Europe and launched anti-lynching groups. She famously said,
"I'd rather go down in history as one lone Negro who dared to tell
the government that it had done a dastardly thing than to save my
skin by taking back what I said"
 
Professor Joseph Ben Levi
Dr. Khallid Muhammad
Kwame Nkrumah
 
Lady Nanny
Nanny, Queen of the Maroons

Lived and died in Nanny Town.
Nanny of the Maroons stands out in history as
the only female among Jamaica’s national
heroes. She possessed that fierce fighting spirit
generally associated with the courage of men.
In fact, Nanny is described as a fearless Asante
warrior who used militarist techniques to foul
and beguile the English. Like the heroes of the
pre Independence era, Nanny too met her
untimely death at the instigation of the English
sometime around 1750’s. Yet, the spirit of
Nanny of the Maroons remains today as a
symbol of that indomitable desire that will
never yield to captivity.

Some call her the, "Mother of all Jamaicans."
#IWD2018

Source: Tsega Tekle Haimanot ~ FB Post 03-08-
2018
 
 
 
Dr. Leonard Jeffries
 
Queen Makeda
(Queen of Sheba)
 
Malcolm X
 
Marduk Bel
Marduk Bel is a Master Teacher and specializes in the language of the Twa, the Medu Neter and
Ancient African History.
 
Math Ater
 
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou Poem: Still I Rise!
In Honor of Black History Month let us remember to Still Rise!
Thank you Mother Maya Angelou for your witness and ministry!
Source: FB Post ~ Rev Derek Terry
 
Michael Imhotep
Michael Imhotep is the President of The African History Network which focuses on Educating,
Empowering and Inspiring people of African Descent throughout the Diaspora and around the world.
He is the Host/Executive Producer of The African History Network Show which can be heard on
Thursdays, 8pm-11pm EST on www.AfricanHistoryNetwork.com or you can listen by phone at (914)
338-1375. To contact him please email CustomerService@AfricanHistoryNetwork.com.

The African History Network Show (CD in MP3 Format)
Here you will find the exciting interviews from "The African History Network Show". Now you can
have them on MP3 CD so you can listen to them when you want to and these are excellent study
tools.
 
Nelson Mandela
Dr. Rkhty Amen
 
Robert X
Robert X is a researcher from Chicago and has been doing research on African History, DNA,
Metaphysics and other topics for almost 30 years. He is know for his very well documented
 
Emperor Tewodros II
(c. 1818 - April 13, 1868)
Ras Kassa becomes Emperor Tewodros II.  Emperor Téwodros II (baptized as Sahle Dingil) (c. 1818
– April 13, 1868) was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1855 until his death.  Born Kassa Haile Giorgis,
but was more regularly referred to as Kassa Hailu (meaning "restitution" and "His [or the] power").
His rule is often placed as the beginning of modern Ethiopia, ending the decentralized Zemene
Mesafint (Era of the Princes).
 
William Henry Hastie
William Henry Hastie was the first black federal
judge and the first black governor of the Virgin
Islands. ‬

‪He also served as Dean of Howard University Law
School, civilian aide to the Secretary of War, and as
a member of President Franklin Roosevelt’s “Black
Cabinet” ‬

‪In 1930, Hastie received his LL.B. degree from
Harvard University. He was also admitted to the
District of Columbia Bar in 1931 and practiced law
with his cousin Charles Hamilton Houston who later
became Dean of Howard University Law School.
Hastie returned to Harvard in 1933 to receive his J.
D. degree. ‬

‪In 1933, he became one of the first black
members of the Roosevelt Administration. He was
appointed the President’s race relations advisor.
Later he was given the post of assistant solicitor for
the Department of Interior. While working for the
Department he wrote a constitution for the Virgin
Islands. ‬

‪In March 1937, Hastie was appointed judge of the
Federal District Court in the Virgin Islands by
President Roosevelt, becoming the nation’s first
black Federal judge. ‬

‪He served for two years, and then he resigned in
1939 to become Dean and Professor of Law at
Howard University School of Law.‬

‪He received the Spingarn Medal in 1943.‬
 
Professor Willam Mackey
 
Queen Mother Yaa Asantewaa
    
#blackwomenmatter Yaa Asantewaa, is one of the most courageous and revolutionary women I
know. A Mother, a Warrior, and a Queen who loved her land just as much as her people. During the
reign of the Asante Empire, Britain began to invade and control many of the Afrakan territories. They
would exile many powerful Afrakan Kings which would lead to the destruction of the people and
land. The British were known to abuse, rape, and kill many Afrakan and would steal the most
valuable treasures in the land. Many of which have not been recovered to this very day. Two of these
Afrakan rulers who would be exiled would be Queen Asantewaa’s Grandson and the King of the
Asante Empire. This did not sit well with many but they felt powerless. To make matters worse, the
British Governor, who referred to himself as “General of Ghana”, demanded the Asante Golden Stool.
The Golden Stool was a symbol of the spirit of the Asante people.

It was a Spiritual gift that Britain had no right to claim. At a conference, Yaa Asantewaa gave a speech
that would shake the nation. She said, “Is it true that the bravery of the Ashanti is no more? I cannot
believe it. It cannot be! I must say this: if you the men of Ashanti will not go forward, then we will.
We the women will. I shall call upon my fellow women. We will fight the white men. We will fight till
the last of us falls in the battlefields.” After the speech, she would lead one of the largest rebellions
against the British colonial powers and the last major war led by Afrakan Woman.

It is very important to know the contributions of Black woman like Yaa Asantewaa throughout
history so that we may never grow ignorant of our Women’s worth. Queen Nana Yaa Asantewaa is an
inspiration to people everywhere that courage is the most important virtue a person can possess. ~
King Kwajo

Source:    YES #blackwomenmatter · 7 August 2017 ·
 
Emperor Yohannes IV
(July 11, 1837 - March 10, 1889)
Today (03-10-2018) marks the 129th anniversary of the martyrdom of Emperor Yohannes IV.

Let Us remember Emperor Yohannes IV's inspiring famous quote:

"Ethiopia is your Mother, Love her. Ethiopia is your Country, Defend her. Ethiopia is Everything to
You, Die for her"

Yohannes IV

Yohannes IV (July 11, 1837 - March 10, 1889), born Lij Kassay Mercha and contemporaneously also
known in English as Johannes or John IV, was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1871 until his death in 1889.

Early life

Yohannes IV was born at Mai-biha, a village then within the jurisdiction of Enderta province. He was
the son of Mercha, Shum (or "governor") of Tembien, and his wife Woizero (or "Dame") Silass
Dimtsu (Amata Selassie), who was the daughter of Dejazmach (roughly equivalent to "Duke") Dimtsu
Debbab of Enderta the nephew of the powerful RasWolde Selassie of Enderta. Yohannes could claim
Solomonic blood through the line of his paternal grandmother Woizero Workewoha KaleKristoss of
Adwa, who was the granddaughter of Ras Mikael Sehul, and his wife Aster Iyasu, daughter of
Empress Mentewab and her lover Melmal Iyasu. Yohannes could also claim Solomonic descent more
distantly through his father's Tembien family, also through a female link to the dynasty. Amata
Selassie's father Dimtsu of Endarta belonged to the family which in late 18th and early 19th centuries
had held overlordship of Tigray, and her mother descended from the aristocratic line of the Shums of
Agame.

Rise to power

In 1868, at the time of Emperor Tewodros II's suicide in response to the British rescue mission under
Sir Robert Napier, Dejazmach Kassai controlled the province of Tigray. With Tewodros's death, he
became one of the three most powerful princes in Ethiopia along with Wagshum Gobeze of Lasta and
Wag (the future Emperor Tekle Giyorgis II) and King Menelek of Shewa (the future Emperor Menelek
II). Kassai was in fact Wagshum Gobeze's prodigy and ally: Wagshum had married his sister
Dinqinesh Mercha and was instrumental in helping Kassai rise to power in Tigray. The British
expedition had left Yohannes a great deal of ordnance, however, and Kassai refused to pay homage
to Wagshum when he declared himself the emperor Tekle Giyorgis II at Sogota in Wag. At first Tekle
Giyorgis attempted to mollify him by naming him Re-ese Mekwanint ("first among the nobles"):
Kassai promptly began using the title but continued to dispute Tekle Giyorgis's right to supremacy or
homage.

Kassai was aided in his defiance by the recent death of Salama, the abuna of the Ethiopian Church:
Tekle Giyorgis could not be formally crowned until his replacement was appointed by the Coptic
Pope in Cairo, a process which might take years. In fact, Kassai took the initiative: he had gathered
the funds to pay Pope Cyril for the ordination and travel of the new archbishop. Abuna Atnatewos
arrived by June 1869, but took Kassai's side in the dispute. After consolidating support with Adal of
Gojjam and Menelik of Shewa through marriage and pacifying Wollo through force, he invaded
Tigray across the Takazze River in 1871. Dejazmach Kassai met the Emperor near Adwa on 11 July
1871, capturing and deposing him. The "emperor" died in captivity the next year. Following Tekle
Giyorgis' death, his widow settled in Mekelle at Yohannes's court, continuing to be accorded the title
and dignity of an Empress throughout his reign.

Atnatewos crowned Kassai emperor at Axum. The exact date of his crowning is not very clear and
there are three different dates given by scholars: 12 January 28 January, and 12 February 1872. In
addition, in one of the Emperor's letters to the Queen of England, he states that he assumed power in
November. He took the name and title of Emperor, becoming the first emperor crowned in Axum
since Fasilides in 1632. Adal of Gojjam soon after submitted to Yohannes and recognized him as
Emperor. Adal was rewarded with the titles of Rasand of King (Negus) of Gojjam. Adal was also given
the new name of Tekle Haymanot Tessemma.

War with Ottoman Egypt

Throughout his reign, Yohannes was embroiled in military struggles on his northern frontiers. First
was from Khedive Isma'il Pasha of Egypt, who sought to bring the entire Nile River basin under his
rule. The Egyptians flirted with encouraging Menelik of Shewa against the Emperor, but earned
Menelik's enmity by marching from the port of Zeila and occupying the city-state of Harar on 11
October 1875. Both Menelik and Yohannes had regarded Harar as a renegade province of Ethiopia,
and Egyptian seizure of the Emirate was not welcome to either of them. The Egyptians then marched
into northern Ethiopia from their coastal possessions around the port of Massawa. Yohannes
pleaded with the British to stop their Egyptian allies, and even withdrew from his own territory in
order to show the Europeans that he was the wronged party and that the Khedive was the aggressor.
However, Yohannes soon realized that the Europeans would not stop the Khedive of Egypt and so he
gathered up his armies and marched to meet the Egyptian force.

The two armies met at Gundat (also called Guda-gude) on the morning of 16 November 1875. The
Egyptians were tricked into marching into a narrow and steep valley and were wiped out by
Ethiopian gunners surrounding the valley from the surrounding mountains. Virtually the entire
Egyptian force, along with its many officers of European and North American background, were
killed. News of this huge defeat was suppressed in Egypt for fear that it would undermine the
government of the Khedive. A new Egyptian force was assembled and sent to avenge the defeat at
Gundat. The Egyptians were defeated again at the Battle of Gura (7–9 March 1876), where the
Ethiopians were led again by the Emperor, and his loyal general, the capable (and future Ras) Alula
Engida. This victory was followed by Menelik's submission to Yohannes on 20 March 1878, and in
return Yohannes recognized Menelik's hereditary right to the title of King (Negus) of Shewa, and re-
crowned him on 26 March. Yohannes took this opportunity to tie the Shewan King more closely to
him by arranging for Menelik's daughter Zewditu (the future Empress of Ethiopia in her own right),
to be married to his own son and heir, Ras Araya Selassie.

Emperor Yohannes also convened a general council of the Ethiopian Church at Boru Meda later in
1878, which brought an end to the ongoing theological dispute in the local church; Christians,
Muslims and pagans were given respectively two, three and five years to conform to the council's
decisions. Non-Christians were forbidden from participating in the government unless they
converted and were baptised; the Muslims were given three months, while the pagans had to
become Christians immediately. "Having concluded that Wollo was worth a mass," as Harold Marcus
wryly puts it, his retainer RasMohammed of Wollo became disobedient of the tax rules, which he and
the entire wollo refused to pay tax to the government in which Emperor Yohannes had discovered,
Ras Mohammed was conspiring with the Turks the Ottoman empire because of his Muslim affiliation.
Ras Mohammed was brought to Emperor Yohannes, and was confronted of his conspiracy in helping
the Muslim colonizer and to bring down the Judeo Christian empire. Ras Mohammed was siding with
Muslim Affiliates of Turkey. After meeting with King Yohannes and in learning that if he were to
assist the Turks in the end he and the rest of Ethiopia would become a salve to the Arab/Muslim
world. Ras Mohammed then choose to become a Christian to later inherit a Christian name (later
Negus) Mikael of Wollo, the Emperor stood as his godfather at his baptism. The new convert was
given Menelik of Shewa's other daughter, Shewarega Menelik, as his wife. Yohannes went one step
further and pressured Menelik to expel all of the Roman Catholic missionaries from Shewa.

However this time, instead of a single Archbishop, he requested that Patriarch Cyril send four to
serve the large number of Christians in Ethiopia, who arrived in 1881. They were led by Abuna
Petros as Archbishop, Abuna Matewos for
Shewa, Abuna Luqas for Gojjamand Abuna Markos for Gondar. Abuna Markos died shortly after
arriving, so his diocese was included with that of Abuna Atnatewos. It was the first time that the
Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria had appointed four Bishops for Ethiopia.

War with Sudan

When Muhammad Ahmad proclaimed himself the Mahdi, and incited Sudan into a long and violent
revolt, his followers successfully either drove the Egyptian garrisons out of Sudan, or isolated them
at Suakin and at various posts in the south. Yohannes agreed to British requests to allow these
Egyptian soldiers to evacuate through his lands, with the understanding that the British Empire
would then support his claims on important ports like Massawaon the Red Sea to import weapons
and ammunition, in the event that Egypt were forced to withdraw from them. This was formalized in
a treaty signed with the British at Adwa known as the Hewett Treaty. The immediate result was that
the wrath of the Mahdiyah fell upon Ethiopia: Ras Alula defeated an invading Mahdist army at the
Battle of Kufit on 23 September 1885. About the same time, Italy took control of the port of Massawa,
frustrating Ethiopian hopes and angering Yohannes. Yohannes attempted to work out some kind of
understanding with the Italians, so he could turn his attention to the more pressing problem of the
Mahdists, although Ras Alula took it upon himself to attack Italian units that were on both sides of
the ill-defined frontier between the two powers. Domestic problems increased when the Neguses of
both Gojjam and Shewa rebelled against Yohannes, and the Emperor had to turn his attention from
the encroaching Italians to deal with his rebellious vassals. Yohannes brutally crushed the Gojjame
rebellion, but before he could turn his attention to Shewa news arrived that the Mahdist forces had
sacked Gondar and burned its holy churches. He marched north from Gojjam to confront the armies
of the Mahdi.

Death

Evidence suggests that Emperor Yohannes had acted rashly and had made himself vulnerable, going
beyond enemy lines in range of enemy shots as victory was going to his side. Mortally wounded from
a gunshot, he had been carried to his tent, where he announced that his nephew Ras Mengesha was
actually his natural son, and named him his heir (his elder son Ras Araya Selassie had died a few
years earlier). He died hours later. Although the Ethiopian army had almost annihilated their
opponents in this battle, hearing that their ruler had been slain shattered their morale and allowed
the Mahdists to counterattack, scattering the Ethiopian forces.

Yohannes' body was carried back to Tigray guarded by a small party, who were overtaken by the
Mahdist troops of Zeki Tummal near the Atbara River and who captured the sovereign's body.
Augustus B. Wylde, who claimed to have heard the story from a priest who managed to escape the
slaughter, wrote how Yohannes' uncle Ras Areya stood beside the body of his dead master with "a
few of his soldiers and the bravest of the king's servants, who had lost their all, and had no more
prospects to live for".

Ras Areya was last seen standing alongside the box containing the king's body, after having
expended all his ammunition, with his shield and sword in his hands, defending himself, till at last he
was speared by a Dervish from behind, and died fighting gamely like the fine old warrior that he was.

According to Wylde, as he saw death come Ras Areya announced "that he was now old and done for,
that his time had come, and it was useless at his age to serve another master that he knew little
about, and it was better to die like a man fighting unbelievers, than like a mule in a stable. The
Mahdists brought the Emperor's body back to their capital at Omdurman, where the head was put on
a pike and paraded through the streets.

Source: Tsega Tekle Haimanot FB Post - 03-10-2018
 
Dr. Yosef ben-Jochannan
 
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List of names below are
located in table to the right
in alphabetical order
Weyzero Abebech
Afewerk Tekle
Ahati Kilindi Iyi
Dr. Amos Wilson
Anna Douglass
Anthony Browder
Bonotchi Montgomery
Prof. Booker T. Coleman
(Kaba Hiawatha Kamene)
Candace
Carter G Woodson
Dr. Claud Anderson
Dr. David Imhotep
Dr. Frances Cress Welsing
Dr. George G.M. James
Grainville T Woods
H.I.M. Emperor
Haile Selassie I
Dr. Ishakamusa
Barashango
Professor James Small
Dr. John Henrik Clarke
Ida B. Wells
Professor Joseph Ben Levi
Dr. Khallid Muhammad
Kwame Nkrumah
Lady Nanny
Dr. Leonard Jeffries
Queen Makeda
Malcolm X
Marduk Bel
Math Ater
Maya Angelou
Nelson Mandela
Dr. Rkhty Amen
Robert X
Emperor Tewodros II
William Henry Hastie
Professor Willam Mackey
Queen Mother Yaa
Asantewaa
Emperor Yohannes IV
Dr. Yosef ben-Jochannan
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